Rents are 12% below what Mesquite's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
Bedroom figures are derived from HUD Fair Market Rents and scaled to match Mesquite's market median, because the published HUD values all ran above it. They are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Mesquite is 0.7% below its high of $1,468 in November 2024, at $1,458 as of September 2026.
Rent in Mesquite changed +0.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 224 Texas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Mesquite rose 39.3% while median household income rose 177.2% ($26,167 to $72,537). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Mesquite is 36.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($72,537) is $1,813 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,753); a 2-bedroom is $2,060.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Mesquite, 75181 ($2,619/mo), costs 2 times the cheapest, 75150 ($1,297/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Mesquite. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Mesquite, TX is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Mesquite, TX has changed in 5 years
Rent in Mesquite, TX has climbed 23.4% since 2021, going from about $1,182 per month to roughly $1,458 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Mesquite, TX now reports about $72,537, up from $-666,666,666 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 123.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 181 to 515 between 2021 and 2024, a 184.5% change. About 89.8% of households rent today, against 53.3% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Mesquite, TX reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Mesquite on your salary?
At $1,458/mo, how Mesquite rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Mesquite rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Mesquite. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Mesquite
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Mesquite is $1,458/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,101/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,355/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,153/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,700/mo.
At 24% of local median household income ($72,537/yr), Mesquite ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Mesquite rent compare to other cities in Texas?
At $1,458/mo, rent takes ~24% of Mesquite's median household income ($72,537/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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